By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Picture credit score: Davis Cup Fb
Explosiveness and the ingredient of shock prompted Captain Bob Byran’s Davis Cup doubles choice.
Captain Bryan opted to start out debutant Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul as last-minute substitutions towards Australians Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson within the decisive doubles match of at the moment’s Davis Cup quarterfinals.
Extra: TC Suspends Jon Wertheim
Ebden and Thompson confirmed their prowess posting a 6-4, 6-4 win over the American pair lifting Australia to a 2-1 victory over the US and a return to the Davis Cup semifinals.
Requested about his choice to bench scheduled starters and Olympic silver medalists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in favor of Paul and Shelton, Bob Byran stated it was the suitable name.
“The doubles, we’ve nice choices on this group. We have now an skilled doubles group in Rajeev and Austin,” Bob Bryan stated. “And we have a whole lot of firepower from the singles lineup. It was a matchup choice on this case, and I would not change a factor. We had been hoping to catch the Aussies a bit bit unexpectedly, however these guys rose to the event and served a excessive proportion, took care of their, you recognize, their pictures and stepped up.
“You realize, I am pleased with the best way we competed. You realize, we may have gained it this yr with this group. This group has the expertise and the flexibility. It got here inside an inch of getting one other probability within the semis.”
Olympic gold-medal champion Ebden and US Open doubles champion Thompson had been significantly efficient closing at web the place their expertise was evident.
“Thompson, clearly US Open champion, finals of Wimbledon, a really achieved doubles participant,” Bob Bryan stated. “Matt Ebden gained the Olympics. Matt Ebden has seen Rajeev and Austin play a bunch within the final couple of years, and he hasn’t seen an excessive amount of of Ben and Tommy.
“It was a tactical factor attempting to take them unexpectedly. Ben was clearly on the court docket for 3 hours earlier within the day, so, you recognize, you discover rhythm on the market. Tommy, you noticed what he did on the Olympics. All of us respect his doubles. We took a shot at it.
“These guys performed robust. You realize, they’re probably the greatest doubles groups on the earth proper now, and so they confirmed it at the moment. So hats off to these guys. They carried out effectively.”
The U.S. Davis Cup group awaits its draw for the 2025 Qualifying spherical, held the week of January 27, 2025. The Qualifying spherical will characteristic a conventional home-and-away tie with the winner advancing to a brand new home-and-away spherical in September.
Davis Cup Quarterfinals—Australia 2, USA 1
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) d. Ben Shelton (USA), 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(14)
Taylor Fritz (USA) d. Alex de Minaur (AUS), 6-3, 6-4
Matthew Ebden / Jordan Thompson (AUS) d. Tommy Paul / Ben Shelton (USA), 6-4, 6-4
